White Crosses
by Breseis25
Summary: The white crosses, so realistically painted they looked photographed, dug deep into the earth, seemingly reaching high into the bright sky like the limbless Greek statue of Zeus. The dirt parted for the wooden bases, cruelly, cracks spreading from the impact. Naruto turned to the man who'd been watching him silently. This was of them. NaruSai NaruSasu


**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.**

**White Crosses**

It wasn't his fault really. It was just that he had trouble controlling himself with everything pertaining Sasuke. If Sasuke flaunted his delicious body, no matter how much he denied it, he wasn't going to hold back once he decided to pounce. If Sasuke continued to argue with him, he was going to swing first. If Sasuke, god forbid, threw himself off a cliff, he would do it too, with the goal of reaching ground faster and falling harder. It was just the way things were. And he never knew that things were the same way on Sasuke's spectrum, not with the bastard being so uptight. He knew Sasuke though, better than anyone, and he knew Sasuke was a great friend, a great guy, and not all that uptight. Still, it had come as a surprise, a fairly welcome, no matter how unwelcome at first, surprise.

He hadn't really meant to, he _really hadn't_, but it was in his nature to be friendly. He did not flirt on purpose, though he did decide to sometimes, but _that_ time, he'd just been himself, and Sasuke had taken it far too seriously.

His best mate Kiba was throwing a house warming party for his girlfriend Hinata, and, as his best mate, he'd been invited and dragged into not only helping with preparations but also playing encourager. Kiba had dropped the bomb on Naruto in the form of a mental breakdown and a rabid look in his eyes. Kiba was going to propose and the chicken was chickening out. It's not that Kiba was being forced into proposing, which he wouldn't do, no matter how scary his girlfriend's father was. He wanted things to be as legit as they could be, as permanent as he could make them. He loved Hinata and he'd had a hard time getting to her through her cousin and her infatuation with Naruto. Which, the blonde had not been oblivious to and had, in fact, acted upon for a year and a half. So Kiba felt his time was thin, where that notion had arisen from Naruto had no idea, being a close friend of Hinata as well, he knew she loved him as much as Kiba loved her. Regardless, Kiba felt it was time, but his hackles were rising at the thought of it, his tail tucking between his legs at the thought of rejection, not that he voiced that particular fear. Not in words, not completely sober.

"Come on man! Don't let me run 'kay, I'm not a bitch!" he said, his eyes wide as sweat ran down his face from the twelve trips they'd taken up and down the stairs to haul the party favors. Beer, liquor, and chips were all they had bought at first. Food was needed, of course, Sakura had said, but they wouldn't have known that even if they were being attacked by resurrected, miss fed stomachs out for vengeance. So the pink-haired she-devil had called some bistro she was a fan of and made orders, had them pick it up, and hadn't helped with actually setting the blasted place up.

Anyway, skipping the fight preceding a name calling match and a variety of colorful swearing, in different languages and species, the condo was adorned, rather tastefully in Naruto's opinion. Not too overdone, but modernly decorated with glass vases, colorful bowls, and abstract cup holders where, Naruto's favorite part, a variety of cups, plastic, just in case the damn thing fell, would hold a variety of different colored alcoholic beverages. Each abstract stand held one color, and the combination of all the shades was mesmerizing. Separated ceiling lights gave bright and dim lighting throughout the room. Hinata, when she walked in, had stared, turned back to the door, had touched the doorknob then had turned back to them, her mouth slightly open. Once she was absolutely sure it was her home and that there wasn't a chic decorator tied up as a hostage, she smiled shyly and bowed.

"Thank you. It looks wonderful," she'd said, kissing Kiba with a blush spreading over her face. Naruto smiled at her when she hugged him, bellowing a 'you're welcome' when they stepped away from each other.

Snickering at his red-faced friend, Naruto had ushered Hinata into the bathroom, instructing her to take a shower and get ready, and most importantly, to take all the time she needed because he and Kiba were here to serve her like the queen she should be treated as. That little comment had led to another fight, which Hinata graciously ignored. She'd grown far too accustomed to their antics. It was brotherly bonding, nothing like that one time she'd actually seen them duke it out. She couldn't even remember what exactly they had fought over or about, and she was sure if she didn't remember why, they didn't remember they fought at all.

As soon as she was out and dressed three hours later, Kiba was scowling on the couch, already showered and dressed in dark jeans and a deep red button down shirt. Hinata, in her tasteful violet dress, sleeveless but with a round collar and a circular pattern of lace that showed pale skin, was stunning. The smile she gave him as he stood, staring, gave him the jumpstart he needed. He kissed her, and when he pulled away, she was flushed and a little confused.

"Kiba," she whispered, searching his face for something that would explain the change she could feel in the kiss. It was tender, underlying something entirely too passionate for her to understand as suitable for such a normal atmosphere.

"Come on, I need you to help me pull Naruto out of Sai's place," Kiba said, pulling on her hand as he walked towards the door.

Hinata scowled, an uncharacteristic tick taking over her forehead. "Why is he at Sai's?"

"He needed to take a shower and change," Kiba murmured, turning to face her as he pulled their door open.

"Why didn't he go home?"

"He had already brought his clothes with him so he thought it'd be a waste of time. Besides, Sai's been calling him nonstop ever since they broke up," he said shrugging.

"Is-Is Naruto getting back together with him?" she asked slowly, remembering the supposed trysts and fights the couple had gotten into. She could count the times that Naruto had slept on their couch, the times he swore he was going to leave the cheating bastard, and the times Sai had confided in her that he thought Naruto was the one who was unfaithful. How he'd seen him with other people, women, men, ones he wasn't entirely sure of their gender hanging over Naruto and the blonde allowing it. He knew Naruto was cheating on him, knew that his friends were all trying to get in his pants. And then Naruto had walked in one day and thrown his arms around her, declaring himself a free man and that if she would take him again, he would fall to his knees and declare undying love for her. She'd blushed neon red then burst out laughing along with Naruto. Then Kiba had walked in and stared at them, asking them why they were crying and laughing, and she'd snorted, making them all laugh harder.

"No, I don't think so. I mean," Kiba tilted his head, considering, "he'd probably fuck him-"

"Kiba!" Hinata cried indignantly, though the immediate thought that followed was that it might be true.

"Come on Hinata. You know as well as I do that it's true," Kiba sighed, stepping out into the hall, shrugging, tugging at his collar.

Hinata frowned lightly, her heels connecting against the floor a tad harder. "Naruto is not like that. He wouldn't use him," she says, pulling the door closed behind her.

Kiba snorted, but it lacked any humor. "He would if Sai asked him, begged him for it. He's too nice sometimes, so if Sai played the lonely card on him, the please-be-a-friend and put me our of my misery card, he'd do it. He would feel guilty about…"

"I don't think he'd do it," Hinata restated.

Kiba hummed, scratching his neck as he walked down the hall towards the elevators. "Who knows?" Pushing the circle with the up arrow, he hugs Hinata to him. "I mean, they were together for almost a year, and, if you count the months before that-"

Hinata tilts her head in question, stepping into the elevator with Kiba. "What months?"

The brunette shrugs and groans dismissively, "When Sai was all," he makes shaking motions with his hands. Hinata laughs and makes a gesture for him to continue, "then, well, they have history. A lot of history actually."

"Mm," Hinata agrees, pressing on the number '27', "but Naruto has history with me and I don't think he'd ever sleep with me like that."

Kiba can't help but grumble and tighten his hold over her waist, growling in her ear softly, "He better not." It serves the purpose he wanted; the love of his life laughs, hard, tears coming to her eyes.

"Kiba," she says, a beautiful smile on her lips, "you know I love him differently now. He does too."

He shrugs, running his hand down her spine then back up, "I know. But it's different with Sai."

"Because Sai is a man?"

"Hm," the brunette tilts his head up in thought, "no. Not because he's a man. But because for Sai, I mean- you remember what he was like right? The times we used to bump into him?"

"Yes," the raven nods, the memories are quick to come.

"Well, he was like that, but, I saw him sometimes with Naruto, how he really was with him, and I," the brunette scratches at his cheek, "I-I can't really explain it."

"Kiba you're stuttering," she says, eyes narrowed lightly, hand over his arm.

He blushes but looks at her affectionately, "Because!"

"Alright, if it's too hard for you to explain…" she glances at the number that comes to light, 25, and turns back to Kiba, a little surprised by the thoughtful expression on his face as he stares at the reflection before him.

"For Sai," he says, voice thoughtful and clear, "Naruto is everything. His first friend, lover, muse, savior. You loved Naruto, a lot, but you had others you cared for, but Sai, his life started with Naruto. And even though Naruto's an idiot, I think… he knows that. So if he were to ask him, Naruto would say yes."


End file.
